Marinakis to Baltako: “Stop fighting professional football – You have 48 hours to change”

Only two matches have been played in the current Superleague 1 championship and already there have been refereeing disagreements (with always the same protagonists) leading to aggravation phenomena. And all this a few months after the conclusion of a championship marked by refereeing-parody and a few days after the tragic events of New Philadelphia.

As President of Super League 1 and Vice-President of EPO, I invite you to reflect on the times that Greek Football is living in and to act as a real head of a Football Federation would do:

– Stop fighting Professional football and finally apply to their essence what the Holistic Study predicts.

– Stop stubbornly refusing to assist Superleague 1 in the operation of the Professional Arbitration, according to the provisions of Law 2725/1999. Really, why does the EPO not want to get rid of the financial burden of the Arbitrators but also of the damage caused to the Federation by Arbitration in general? Why do you personally prefer to receive on a weekly basis the ridicule, discredit, and even the insults of all those involved with the professional league (agents, fans, journalists, etc.) because of the Referee? What higher “offer” motive drives you? Does your fight against professional refereeing prove what every intelligent sports fan says and knows? In other words, that the EPO wants arbitration so that the arbitrators can be controlled and appointed by those who control and appoint the EPO?

– You are stubbornly indulging in a fight to prevent foreign referees from coming to Greece, while it was – and still is – an agreement of the four big teams that the derbies be refereed by foreign referees. Who broke the deal of the “4” and I don’t know it?

– Why do you prevent foreign referees from coming and constantly raise objections about alleged “permission” from FIFA/UEFA to justify your decision? Has anyone personally asked you to stop foreign referees coming to Greece? If he asked you, come out and say it publicly. Don’t you realize that with your attitude you are setting fire to Greek Football? Already from the first matches with the performances of the “elite” KED referees, the championship is dynamited and in danger of being blown up. All the sports fans read the announcements and saw what happened on the pitches. What will happen in the derby?

You should know that obviously both myself and the vast majority of Super League 1 FA owners will not let you personally and your partners in the EPO shake up our football and our league with definitions-challenges and arbitrations that will distort competition.

We will also not allow the EPO to operate any longer under a regime of opacity and without any control. After so many months that Superleague 1, the main “blood donor” of EPO, asked you for financial data to see where the tens of millions we give as professional football go, you have not given any answer

At the moment when our teams compete with dignity in Europe and this year for the first time after many years we have a guaranteed presence in the groups of European competitions with four representatives, laying the foundations for a better future in Greek Football, you, a “passer-by” from it, and your principals, to mine the Championship.

You should know that if you and your partners want to change the conditions of the Championship and turn it into a mockery that will generate violence and tension on a weekly basis, you will find us in front of you: you and all your they support. You have 48 hours to change direction because we will not leave Professional football and Super League 1 in your hands and in the hands of your principals.

The President of Super League 1